Contact cable terminal



June 16, 1936. C, WELTER '2,044,554v

CONTACT CABLE TERMINAL Filed June 13, l93l 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jqorngy June 16, 1936. H, c. WELTER CONTACT CABLE TERMINAL l Filed June 13, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Y E .Mmmm-T C.' WZZez" Patented June 16, 1936 UNITED 4STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel contact cable terminal particularly adapted for connecting an underground power cable to an overhead conductor system, the primary object of which is to provide a positive protection against the 'ingress of moisture into the cable insulation.

Other and further objects, uses and advantages will become apparent as the disclosure proceeds and the description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which 'Fig 1 'is an elevational view of a contact cable terminal pole showing the main cable extending from the riser pipe housing to thecontact cable terminal of this invention.

Fig. 2 is anend elevational View of this same contact'cable'terminal pole showing the contact cable terminal supported between two crossarms.

Fig. 3 is side sectional view of the contact cable terminal taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4 with the hood'attached.

Fig. 4 is aplan view of same with the hood i removed.

Fig. 5 is an end sectional View vtaken on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

idg. 6 is'l a vside View of the contact cable termlnal'with a gang-operated disconnect assembly attached.

Fig. 'lis a section-al view of same taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6 showing the disconnect open.

Fig. 8 is a bottom view with the disconnect covers removed showing a gang-operated disconnect.

When an underground power cable is to be continued by an overhead conductor system it is necessary to properly insulate and seal the conductors of the power cable at the junction with the overhead open conductor system. The contact cable termin-a1 is usually supported between two crossarms near the top of the pole wherev the connection is made to the overhead conductor system. This is generally accomplished by a contact cable terminal commonly referred to as a pothead in which the conductors 45 protrude upward through insulator tubes with various gaskets throughout the assembly which are susceptible to the ingress of moisture.

In the present invention a contact cable terminal is substituted for the pothead referred to above which prevents any possible ingress or accumulation of moisture.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown side and end views, respectively, of a cable terminal pole Ill having crossarms II, two of which carry the contact cable terminal generally designated I2 which receives the main power cable I3 and the leads I4 to the overhead conductor system.

The improved Contact cable terminal I2 comprises a substantially flat elongated base I5, Figs. 5 3, 4 and 5, with openings to receive the insulator tubes or jackets I6 and an integral sleeve or conduit I'I through which thepower cable enters, a lead wipe seal being made at I8. A hood or shield I9 completely covers the conductors and is sealed to the base I5 with a gasket 2 I placed substantially below the upper ribs 15a of the base I5 so that any moisture that might have condensed within the assembly will be below the upward projecting portions of the insulator tubes or jackets I6 and the cable sleeve or conduit I'I as well as'below the plane of the top of the connectors 22. The conductors 20 are electrically connected to the connectors 22 in the insulator tubes or jackets I6 and sealed thereto with gaskets 23 and 24 by tightening the nuts 25. The overhead conductor leads I4 are electrically connected to the connectors 22 and extenddownwardly through the insulator tubes I6. An insulating barrier 26 is placed inside the hood or shield I9 along the sides and end to insulate the walls of the hood or shield I9 from the conductors 20, connectors 22 and nuts 25 in the event there should be any voids in .the viscous'insulating compound 28. No insulating barrier is needed at the top of the hood or shield I9 as suiicient space is allowed for safe operation and permits the easy filling of the hood or shield encasing the conductors 20 with the viscous insulating compound 28. This construction permits the hood or shield I9 to be made comparatively 35 narrow thereby requiring only a minimum amount of insulating compound 28 and permitting the contact cable terminal I2 to be readily mounted between two cross-arms II. The conductors 20 are insulated from each other with insulating tape. The insulator tubes or jackets I6 are tightly sealed to the base I5 preferably with a cement 27. The contact cable terminal I2 is completely lled with a suitable viscous insulating compound 28 through openings cut in the top of the hood or shield I9 after which they are sealed preferably with solder. The walls of the hood or shield I9 are preferably made of sheet metal sulciently thin and curved to make them readily yieldable to any change in volume of the insulating compound 28 as might be caused by temperature changes. This construction relieves the seal between the base I5 and the hood or shield I9 from any undue pressures that might occur with a rigid case, making it unnecessary to leave gas pockets in the insulating compound 28. Plugs 29 permit draining the compound 28 when necessary.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the contact cable terminal is shown with a gang-operated disconnecting switch for providing a quick means of opening or closing the connection between the main cable I3 and the conductors I4 of the overhead conductor system. Connector 22 of Fig. 5 is replaced with a longer contact connector 29 which serves as a switch contact. The switch blades 3B are supported on insulated supports 3| and interconnected with insulators 32 forming a rigid gang-operated knife switch with operating handle 33 serving to open and close the electrical circuit between contact connectors 34 and 29. Contact connector 34 is electrically connected to the overhead conductors I4 and insulated from the case 36 by insulators 35, When the switch blades 30 are in an open position, as indicated in Fig. 7, they are insulated from contact connector 34 and 29. The cover 3l is closed after switching operations protecting the exposed connections.

To assemble the contact cable terminal the cable sleeve I'I is cut to t the main cable I3 and the hood or shield I3 is removed after which the base I5 is placed into position over the cable I3 and supported on the crossarms II. The lead sheath of the cable I3 is then removed to a point slightly above the base I5 after which the conductors 26 are cut to length and electrically connected to the connectors 22 containing the overhead conductor I4.` All parts are accessible during this operation. After properly taping the conductors, the insulating barrier 26 is placed around the conductors and the hood or shield I9 installed and sealed to the base I5. The insulating compound 28 is then poured into the assembly I2 and the openings through which it was poured sealed with solder.

This construction makes all the parts during assembly accessible which insures a workmanlike job and allows close inspection of the work all at a reduced labor cost. The contact cable terminal permits the main cable housing or riser pipe to be brought nearer the cable terminal thereby expos ing less cable and reducing the necessary taping and reproong of the exposed section to a minimum. The insulating compound 28 can be drained through the plugs 29 and the hood or shield removed permitting inspection of the conductors and equipment without disturbing the electrical connections.

It will be understood that these specific illustrations and the corresponding specic description of the contact cable terminal is for the purpose of disclosure only, for it is realized that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What I claim, therefore, is:

1. A contact terminal for a power cable comprising in combination a substantially flat elongated base, a plurality of aligned connectors mounted on the base but insulated therefrom, a shield completely covering the connectors having a weatherproof joint with the base, means on the base for introducing the cable terminal into the closed space and supporting it in place, conductors protruding from the cable electrically cono nected to the several connectors, a viscous insulator filling the closed space and an insulating barrier interposed between the connectors and the side walls of the shield.

2. A contact terminal for a power cable comprising in combination a substantially flat base, a connector mounted on the base but insulated therefrom, a yieldable shield completely covering the connector having a weather-proof seal with the base, means on the base for introducing the cable terminal into the closed space and supporting it in place, a conductor protruding from the cable electrically connected to the connector, and a viscous insulator lling the closed space, said yieldable shield permitting expansion and contraction of the viscous material without danger of rupturing the seal.

3. A contact terminal for a power cable comprising in combination a base, a connector extending through the base, a jacket insulating the connector from the base, a shield adapted toy cover the connector and jacket having a weather-proof seal with a base, means for introducing the power cable through the base and connecting it with said connecter, a viscous insulating material lling the space between the shield and the base and an insulating barrier interposed between the connector and the shield.

HOWARD C. WELIER. 

